Portable electronic devices may include one or more batteries that may require recharging from time to time. Such devices may include electric vehicles, cell phones, smart phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, wearable devices, navigation devices, sports devices, health devices, medical devices, location tracking devices, accessory devices, home appliances, peripheral input devices, remote control devices, and so on.
Some batteries may recharge wirelessly by accepting inductive power provided by an inductive power transmitter. For instance, a battery-powered electronic device configured to accept inductive power may be placed nearby a transmitter adapted to produce inductive power. In these systems, a transmitting coil within the transmitter may produce a time-varying electromagnetic flux that may induce a current within a receiving coil within the device. The received current may be used to replenish the charge of a rechargeable battery.
In many examples, imperfect alignment of the transmitting coil and receiving coil may result in power transfer efficiency losses.
Accordingly, there may be a present need for a system and method for aligning coils of an electromagnetic power transfer system.